A Compleat collection of papers in twelve parts relating to the great revolutions in England and Scotland from the time of the seven bishops petitioning K. James II. against the dispensing power, June 8. 1688. to the coronation of King William and Queen Mary, April 11. 1689.

III. The Answer of the Reverend Father la Chese, Confessor to the Most Christian King, to a Let∣ter of the Reverend Father Petre, Jesuit, and Great Almoner to the King of England, upon the Method or Rule he must observe with His Majesty, for the Conversion of His Protestant Subjects.

Most Reverend Father,

WHen I compare the Method of the French Court (which declares against all Heresies) with the Po∣licy of other Princes, who had the same Design in former Ages; I find so great a difference, that all that passes now a days in the King's Council is an impenetrable Mystery: and the Eyes of all Europe are opened to see what happens; but cannot discover the Cause.

When Francis the First, and Henry the Second his Son, un∣dertook to ruine the Reformation, they had to struggle with a Party which was but beginning and weak, and destitute of Help; and consequently easier to be overcome.

In the time of Francis the Second, and Charles the Ninth, a Family was seen advanc'd to the Throne by the Ruine of the Protestants who were for the House of Bourbon.

In this last Reign many Massacres hapned, and several Milli∣ons of Hereticks have been sacrificed, but it answer'd other∣ways: and his Majesty has shew'd (by the peace and mild ways he uses) that he abhors shedding of Blood; from which you must perswade his Britannick Majesty, who naturally is inclin'd to Roughness, and a kind of Boldness, which will make him hazard all, if he does not politickly manage it; as I hinted in my last, when I mentioned my Lord Chan∣cellor.

Most Reverend Father, to satisfy the desire I have to shew you by my Letters the Choice you ought to make of such Persons fit to stir up, I will in few ••••rds (since you desire it) inform you of the Genius of the People of our Court, of their Inclinations, and which of them we make use of; that by a Parallel which you will make between them and your English Lords, you may learn to know them.

Therefore I shall begin with the Chief: I mean our Great Monarch. It is certain he is naturally good, and loves not to do Evil, unless desired to do it. This being so, I may say, he never would have undertaken the Conversion of his Sub∣jects, without the Clergy of France, and without our Societies Correspondence abroad. He is a Prince enlightned; who very well observes, that what we put him upon, is contrary to his Interest, and that nothing is more opposite to his Great Designs, and his Glory; he aiming to be the Terror of all Europe. The vast number of Malecontents he has caused in his Kingdom, forces him in time of Peace to keep three times more Forces, than his Ancestors did in the greatest Dome∣stick and Foreign Wars: which cannot be done without a prodigious Expence.

The Peoples Fears also begin to lessen, as to his aspiring to an Universal Monarchy: and they may assure themselves he has left those Thoughts; nothing being more opposite to his

Designs, than the Method we enjoyn him. His Candor, Boun∣ty, and Toleration to the Hereticks, would undoubtedly have open'd the Doors of the Low Countries, Palatinate, and all other States on the Rhine, and even of Switzerland: whereas things are at presenr so alter'd, that we see the Hollanders free from any fear of danger; the Switzers and City of Gene∣va, resolv'd to lose the last drop of their Blood in their De∣fence; Besides, some Diversion we may expect from the Em∣pire, in case we cannot hinder a Peace with the Turks, which ought to hasten his Britannick Majesty, while he can be assured of Succors from the most Christian King.

Sir, his Majesty's Brother is always the same; I mean, takes to notice of what passes at Court. It has sometimes hap∣pen'd, that the King's Brothers have acted so, as to be noted in the State; but this we may be assur'd will never do any thing to stain the Glory of his Submission and Obedience: And is willing to lend a helping-hand for the Destruction of the Hereticks; which app••••rs by the Instances he makes to his Ma∣jesty, who now has promised him to cause his Troops to enter into the Palatinate the next Month.

The Dauphin is passionately given up to Hunting, and little regards the Conversion of Souls; and it does not seem easy to make him penetrate into Business of Moment; and therefore we do not care to consult him which way, and how the Here∣ticks ought to be treated. He openly laughs at us, and slights all the Designs, of which the King his Father makes great ac∣count. The Dauphiness is extreamly witty, and is, without doubt, uneasy to shew it in other Matters besides Complements of Conversation. She has given me a Letter for the Queen of England; wherein after her expression of the part she bears of the News of her Majesty's being with Child, she gives her several Advices about the Conversion of her Subjects.

Most Reverend Father, She is undoubtedly born a great Enemy to the Protestants, and has promoted all she could with his Majesty, in all that has been done, to hasten their Ruin; especially having been bred in a Court of our Society, and of a House whose hatred against the Protestant Religion is Heredi∣tary, because she has been raised up by the Ruin of the Ger∣man Protestant Princes, especially that of the Palatinate. But

the King having caused her to come to make Heirs to the Crown, she answers expectation to the utmost.

Monsieur Louvois is a Man who very much observes his Du∣ty, which he performs to admiration; and to whom we must acknowledg France owes part of the Glory it has hitherto gained, both in regard of its Conquests, as also the Conver∣sion of Hereticks; to which latter I may say, he has contribu∣ted as much as the King: he has already shewed himself Fierce, Wrathful, and Hardhearted in his Actions towards them; though he is not naturally inclin'd to Cruelty, nor to harrass the People. His Brother, the Arch-bishop of Rheins, has Ways which do not much differ from those of his Soul; and all the difference I find between them is, That the Arch-bishop loves his own Glory, as much as Monsieur de Louvois loves that of his Majesty. He is his own Idol; and give him but In∣cense, and you may obtain any thing. Honour is welcome to him, let it come which way it will. The least Thing provokes this Prelate; and he will not yield any thing derogatory to his Paternity. He will seem Learned; he will seem a great Theo∣logian, and will seem to be a good Bishop, and to have a great care of his Diocess; and would heretofore seem a great Prea∣cher. I have hinted in my last, the Reasons why I cannot al∣together like him; which are needless to repeat.

The Arch-bishop of Paris is always the same, I mean, a gal∣lant Man; whose present Conversation is charming, and loves his Pleasures, but cannot bear any thing that grieves or gives trouble, though he is always a great Enemy of the Jansenists, which he lately intimated to Cardinal Camus. He is always with me in the Council of Conscience, and agrees very well with our Society, laying mostly to Heart the Conversion of the Protestants of the three Kingdoms. He also makes very good Observations and Designs, to give some Advice to your Reverence, which I shall convey to you. I do sometimes im∣part to him what you write to me.

My Lord Kingston has embrac'd our good Party: I was pre∣sent when he Abjur'd in the Church of St. Denis; I will give you the Circumstances some other time.

You promised to send me the Names of all Heretick Officers who are in his Majesty's Troops; that much imports me, and

you shall not want good Catholick Officers to fill up their pla∣ces. I have drawn a List of them who are to pass into Eng∣land, and his most Christian Majesty approves thereof: Pray observe what I hinted to you in my last, on the Subject of the Visits, which our Fathers must give to the Chief Lords, Mem∣bers of the next Parliament; those Reverend Fathers who are to perform that Duty, must be middle-aged, with a lively Countenance, and fit to perswade. I also advised you in some of my other Letters, how the Bishop of Oxford ought to be∣have himself, by writing incessantly, and to insinuate into the People the putting down the Test; and at the same time calm the Storm, which the Letter of Pentionary Fagel has raised. And his Majesty must continue to make vigorous Prohibitions to all Booksellers in London, not to print any Answers; as well to put a stop to the Insolency of Heretick Authors, as al∣so to hinder the People from reading them.

In short, you intimate to me, That his Majesty will follow our Advice: It's the quickest way, and I cannot find a better, or fitter, to dispossess his Subjects from such Impressions as they have received. His Majesty must also, by the same Declara∣tion, profess in Conscience, that (if complied with) he will not only keep his Word, to maintain and protect the Church of England; but will also confim his Promises by such Laws, as the Protestants shall be contented with. This is the true Po∣litick way; for by his granting all, they cannot but consent to something.

His most Christian Majesty has with great success expe∣rienced this Maxim: And though he had not to struggle with Penal Laws and Tests, yet he found it convenient to make large Promises, by many Declarations; for, since we must dissemble, you must endeavour all you can to perswade the King it is the only Method to effect his Design.

I did also in my last, give you a hint of its Importance, as well as the ways you must take to insinuate your selves dexte∣rously with the King, to gain his good Will.

I know not whether you have observed what passed in Eng∣land some Years since; I will recite it, because Examples in∣struct much.

One of our Assisting Fathers of that Kingdom, (which was Father Parsons) having written a Book against the Succession of the King of Scots to the Realm of England. Father Creighton, who was also of our Society, and upheld by many of our Par∣ty, defended the Cause of that King, in a Book Intituled, The Reasons of the King of Scots, against the Book of Father Par∣sons: And though they seem'd divided, yet they understood one another very well; this being practised by order of our General, to the end, that if the House of Scotland were Ex∣cluded, they might shew him who had the Government, the Book of Father Parsons; and on the other Hand, if the King happened to be restored to the Throne, they might obtain his good Will, by shewing him the Works of Father Chreighton: So that which way soever the Medal turn'd, it still prov'd to the advantage of our Society.

Not to digress from our Subject, I must desire you to read the English Book of Father Parsons, Intituled, The Reform of England; where, after his blaming of Cardinal Pool, and made some observations of Faults in the Council of Trent, he finally concludes, That suppose England should return (as we hope) to the Catholick Faith in this Reign, he would reduce it to the State of the Primitive Church: And to that end all the Eccle∣siastical Revenue ought to be used in common, and the Manage∣ment thereof committed to the care of Seven Wise Men, drawn out of our Society, to be disposed of by them as they should think fit. Moreover, he would have all the Religious Orders forbidden on Religious Penalties, not to return into the Three Kingdoms, without leave of those Seven Wise Men; to the end it might be granted only to such as live on Alms. These Reflections seem to me very judicious, and very suita∣ble to the present State of England.

The same Father Parsons adds, That when England is redu∣ced to the True Faith, the Pope must not expect, at least for Five Years, to reap any benefit of the Ecclesiastical Revenue; but must leave the whole in the hands of those Seven Wise Men, who will manage the same to the Benefit and Advancement of the Church.

The Court goes this day for Marli, to take the Divertise∣ments which are there prepared: I hope to accompany the

King, and will entertain him about all Business; and accord∣ingly as he likes what you hint to me in your Letter, I shall give you notice.

I have acquainted him with his Britannick Majesty's Design of building a Citadel near Whitehal; Monsieur Vauban, our Engineer, was present: After some Discourse on the Impor∣tance of the Subject, his Majesty told Monsieur Vauban, that he thought it convenient he should make a Model of the De∣sign, and that he should on purpose go over into England to see the Ground.

I have done all I could to suspend the Designs of our Great Monarch, who is always angry against the Holy Father; both Parties are stubborn: the King's natural Inclination is, to have all yield to him; and the Pope's Resolution is unaltera∣ble.

All our Fathers most humbly salute your Reverence. Father Roine Ville acts wonderfully about Nismes amongst the New Converts, who still meet, notwithstanding the Danger they expose themselves to.

I daily expect News from the Frontiers of the Empire, which I shall impart to your Reverence, and am with the greatest Respect,

Paris, March 7. 1688.

Yours, &c.